A Lost inheritance

Read: 1 Peter 1: 3—12
A living hope . . . an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.

A while ago I posted a message on my web-log about being the next-of-kin for an elderly member of my congregation who had passed away. I should, perhaps, say sadly passed away, but the sadness would reflect what I felt for myself rather than considering the reality of her passing. She had a tremendous faith, a very strong belief in both God and salvation, the latter of which she had secured through her faith in the former, and through her acceptance Jesus Christ.

I later learned that she had left me a small bequest --- an inheritance --- and this made me think about the inheritance that we should all bequeath. In the Bible, Peter writes the following in verses 3 to 5 of chapter 1: (3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (4) to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, (5) who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

When we know that someone whom we care about had a right relationship with God in and through Jesus Christ then we should rejoice in their hope of salvation according to the promises contained in Scripture, even though we may feel saddened at the fact that they have moved on out of view as far as we're concerned in this life.

This set me off in another different, albeit similar, vein of thought. Once we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour then we have the assurance of our own salvation. We have been offered and have accepted the most wonderful and priceless gift in the whole of creation, and what's more it's FREE! We have also been instructed by Jesus, through Scripture, that we should share the knowledge acquired with this gift with the rest of the world, meaning at least those with whom we have any sort of relationship, however brief it may be. The priceless Gift of Life, (for that's what it is!), is ours to share, not to lock away never to see the light of day for fear of it being lost or stolen. This is one gift that we have for ever, no matter how many times we share it with others. In fact when we share it something wonderful happens to us, for in the sharing our own faith grows and strengthens.

The Bible refers to this gift as an inheritance. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, an inheritance it means a thing that is inherited. To inherit is to receive assets or a title at the death of the previous holder. In his letter to the Romans, Paul writes that we are children of God, and reminds us that it means that we are joint heirs with Jesus if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him (Ch.8 : vs.17). This means that, together with Jesus Christ, we will inherit the Kingdom of God.

When I was growing up life was simpler. Generally speaking, we new our limitations and our boundaries, and we understood the order of things. This was irrespective of whether we actually agreed with them or not. We grew up in an environment where we were taught to show respect --- to others, to property, to opinions, and to ourselves. We were taught about God the Creator and about Jesus the Redeemer. We grew with a knowledge of right and wrong, some instilled some seemingly inborn. And we respected those boundaries, recognising that they were there for a good reason, and growing up into adulthood, we found that we had benefited from all that we'd been taught, even those portions of our learning that we later rejected in whole or in part.
The following, headed 'My Beliefs', was written by a 13-year old boy as part of a school exercise:

• I do not believe in any religion or any god. I was christened after I was born but I do not follow Christianity in any way.
• I believe in reincarnation when you die, that you come back in a new life as a person or another living thing.
• I believe that religion in whole starts off many Wars and arguments. Without Religion the world would probably be a peaceful place.
• I believe that everybody should treat people equally, no matter what colour or race they are.

The world has changed since I was a 13-year old, and at that age I could never have conceived writing anything like this. Irrespective of the various rights or wrongs, imagined or perceived, in our upbringing, years ago we benefited from the inheritance passed down to us through our parents, our teachers, the church, and the variety of other people and organisations that influenced our lives. Children today are the victims of a hedonistic society which strives to find ways for the individual to satisfy their own desires with scant regard for others. So often parents, following the well-trodden path of trivial pursuit, fail their children, believing that it's someone else's responsibility to teach their children morals and ethics. Teachers are fearful of losing their jobs if they dare to go against the system and actually punish children for doing wrong --- in fact we are told that we should not use the word wrong as it is a negative word that will affect the child's upbringing. What they fail to point out is that you can affect a child's progress in a positive way by directing them to understand the difference between right and wrong. Then there's the church. Well, generally today the church fails miserably at influencing people or situations because it's like a lion that not only has no teeth but also fails to roar above a whisper anymore.
What all this means is that our children today, and for the past generation, have largely lost the inheritance which is theirs to claim. They've lost it due to our carelessness rather than to their own disinterest, for it is the average voter that has allowed our governments to enact laws which they claim protect human rights yet which, in reality, protect the opinions of the few against the rights of the majority. In many parts of the civilised (so-called) world it is against the law to teach children about God in school, yet perfectly okay to teach them about the perversions that exist in our society which are regarded as an abomination by God.

We should act before it's too late altogether if we really care about the situation, and if we truly believe as we profess to. Politician's can be changed by voters, and they should be made very aware of this. They are there to represent our views, not just the views of a party.

It's time for Christians everywhere to put on the whole armour of God and get marching. The battlefield is set; the front-line is marked; the enemy is with us. Let us reclaim for our children the inheritance that has been stolen from them by stealth and deceit!

Be Creative Today . . .

God blesses each of us with a variety of talents, amongst which we can usually find at least one that is really special. Don't waste time wondering and doubting your ability --- get on and try things for yourself! It's amazing what you can achieve once you put your mind to it.

I so often find that the best of our talents are those from which others can benefit, especially those that are connected to the arts.

Hymn for today . . .

The Heavenly Choir 88 87 87 87
Tune: DIM OND IESU

There’s a sound of heav’nly singing
from the angelic choir above;
happy, joyful sounds are ringing
out the news of Jesus’ love.
That great love which, all embracing,
brings us joy and sets us free:
perfect love of Christ the Saviour,
there for all the world to see.

He came down to bring the message
of God’s overwhelming love;
of the power of forgiveness
coming down from up above.
He speaks of the Holy Spirit
who can set our hearts on fire;
and the news of God in heaven,
sung by His angelic choir.
© Colin Gordon-Farleigh, 2006

We don’t need a mosque at ground zero…

I picked this up from the PA Pundits blog and thought that it was well worth sharing. The story at the beginning is circulating by email at the moment. I have to point out that it doe not appear to have been proven as fact at present, but nevertheless the article itself that follows is a great eye-opener, especially for those who can only see sand when they open their eyes because their heads are buried when it comes to this subject.

Bury a Pig
In the village of Seville, Spain, some local people found a clever way to stop the construction of another mosque in their town. They simply buried a Pig on the proposed site, making sure this fact was known by the local press.

The Islamic rules forbid them to erect a mosque on “pig soiled ground.” The Muslims cancelled the project when they read about it in the paper. No protests were needed by the local people … and it worked … as they simply got the fact announced around so the Muslims could and would know about it.

So if you know anybody living in New York City, please make sure they get this message .. so they can act appropriately. After all, how hard or time consuming is it to bury a dead pig in a hole? For insurance purposes, two or three extra holes filled with swine droppings would suffice.

Hmm…. I don’t know if that is true or not but if it is then that would solve that problem of having these Radical Islamists* building their Ground Zero Victory mosque.

* In case you are out-of-the-loop as far as which Islamic Groups are our enemy and which are not, the Imam Raul supports Political Islamist Groups.

Political Islam is an enemy of our Republic and other countries that are governed by a Constitution and/or Rule of Law. They want to replace our country’s, every countries’, Constitutions with the Koran. Rule by their Religious mandate. That’s Political Islam. Also referred to as Islamists versus Islamics (or Religious Islam). Many of this later group come to this great country of ours to get away from Islamist Governments.

There are basically two paths these Political Islamists take. One is the Violent kind that indiscriminately kill innocent civilians; men, women and children – Terrorism. The other uses non-violent means such as Diplomacy, bribes, Ideological warfare, etc., to achieve their goals of Islam’s World domination. It is Warfare to them, whether they use words or bombs. Both these groups support one another and use any means to achieve their diabolical goals, including LYING as we’ve just seen with Pastor Terry Jones and with Israel’s “Peace” negotiations with Islamist Terrorists over the last 50 years or so.

Now in the USA are Radical Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations), Holy Land Foundation, ICNA, MAS (Muslim American Society), MLFA (Muslim Legal Fund of America), Benevolence International Foundation, NAIT – the North American Islamic Trust, MPAC, Muslim Advocates, Muslim Arab Youth Organization (MAYA), International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), and even some non-muslim groups such as MoveOn.Org (Propaganda Wing Of Al Qaeda) backed by the millionaire Soros. These are a few of the names but more are being added to confuse us. They are basically the same, with the same goal – Islam’s domination of America and governing by Shariah Religious Law.

This already taking place on a local/State level here in the USA, where our inept Judges have allowed Muslims to follow their Sharia law for themselves in violation to our Rule of Law and our Constitution!

There are many mosques being built now that believe in and support Political Islam. Many of these are the Wahhabi sect’s (Radical Islamists) mosques funded by Saudi Arabia.

It seems that many of the older mosques are following Religious Islam and believe in the separation of Mosque and State. Most of their congregations believes that they are Americans first and Moslems second. One USA organization that supports Religious Islam is AIFD (American Islamic Forum for Democracy).

So you can see why the Political Islamists want to build a Victory (Cordoba) mosque (Community center, blah, blah, blah) near Ground Zero. 9/11 was a GREAT VICTORY for Political Islam – both the Radical and Ideological Islamists – almost 3000 infidels killed with a cost of only a handful of “the religion of peace” “believer’s” lives and the ‘abhorrent’ symbols of our Democratic Republic and Capitalism – The Twin Towers – were destroyed. “What joy”!

Joanne Lowe's Meditations

GOD’S HEART RECOVERY

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:”

1 John 2:1 (King James Version)

I had to do a complete system recovery on my computer yesterday. I’m not sure what happened. Things just stopped working right. Perhaps a virus got past my antivirus program. Everything is working great now.

As I was thinking about a virus attacking my computer, I was reminded of how satan attacks us with many viruses. One of the definitions for the word “virus” in Webster’s Dictionary is “something that poisons the mind or soul”.

There are times when we allow bitterness, criticism, hatred, jealousy and unforgiveness to remain in our hearts and those things poison our hearts. These things hurt Jesus and bring shame to Him and we need to ask God to forgive us.

When we sin, Jesus is our advocate. He pleads for us with our Heavenly Father. How does He plead for us with God? He prays for us. “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:32).

Does God need to do a heart recovery on your heart? Have you allowed the viruses that satan hurls at us to stay in your heart, things that hurt Jesus and bring shame to Him? If so, ask Him to forgive you and to help you so you won’t hurt Him again.

Heavenly Father, we confess that there are times when viruses of sin build up in our hearts. Please forgive us and cleanse our hearts. Jesus, thank You for praying for us. Amen.

Joanne Lowe

joannelowe8@cox.net

www.joanne-ourprecioussaviour.blogspot.com

Susan Marrs video of 'When I'm With You' just keeps climbing!

As of this morning the video on Tangle of Susan Marrs singing my great love song, When I'm With You, has had almost two and a half thousand hits and is steadily climbing. If you love it, like most of the folk who have heard it, then you can buy the full CD, of which it's the title song, from the on-line shop at Sheer Joy Music.

Cold Outside - Grace Bawden, featuring Soweto Gospel Choir and Audius Mtawarira

Here's a video of Grace Bawden singing her heart out with the Soweto Gospel Choir, which I'm sure that you will like, dear reader. When you've watched/listened to it, why not go over to YouTube and take a peek at the rest of Grace's video clips, and then you can enjoy a veritable feast of this amazingly talented young singer.

Holidays: A time when the rain was warmer!

On our recent holiday we went to Criccieth, which is situated on the Lleyn Peninsula in North West Wales. The picture above is of the town square, a restful oasis bedecked with trees and flowers. Criccieth has won Wales in Bloom for five years in succession, and it's obvious as you wander around the streets that a great effort is put in by the residents to beautify their town.

Of course, it's a fact that Wales gets its share of rain, and we usually manage to find some of it when we go on holiday each year, but at least, being the holiday season, the rain is warm!

Most days the seas were calm, and often there were bathers enjoying the waters. However, as you can see from the picture below, sometimes the seas were very rough indeed!

Here I am enjoying the sun with Sam on one of our many jaunts to the surrounding towns and villages.

A little cobbled charm in Criccieth, beneath the gaze of Criccieth Castle. Further down the road, and on the opposite side, was Cadwallader's Ice Cream Parlour, to which I was a very frequent visitor, checking out as many of the different flavours as I could.

Above and below are a couple more shots of 'blooming' Criccieth. The climate is quite temperate here, with temperatures similar to those found in South Devon and Cornwall, just a few degrees warmer than other areas.

This flower-filled boat in Criccieth is designed to be a boat of remembrance, and folk placed pebbles with messages about loved ones lost at sea or passed away. There was something lovely about its simplicity.

Castles are, of course, a major feature in Wales, harking back to a period when the land was either under siege or there was a need felt to control the Celts by the English usurpers. The example above is Criccieth Castle, with the Information Centre in the foreground.

Below you can see the remains of Harlech Castle, and the final picture is of the ruins of the great castle at Caernarvon.

All in all, once again we enjoyed a wonderful holiday in Wales, and can always recommend it to you, dear reader, to go and see the wonderful sights --- and the wonderful tastes --- that Wales has to offer.

Hymn for today . . .

Things I Know 7777
Tune: Buckland
There are many things I love,
And so many things I know,
Butterflies and buttercups,
All the living things that grow.

Birds that fly up in the sky,
Kittens, puppy dogs and snails,
Tall giraffes and elephants,
Dolphins, porpoises and whales.

Pretty flowers and conker trees,
All the things that children love;
Every single one of these
Has been made by God above.

For each thing that we can name,
We will praise and thank Him too,
Not forgetting one last thing,
For He’s created me and you.
© Colin Gordon-Farleigh, 2006

Hymn for today . . .

Communion (2) CM
Tune: Richmond
Lord Jesus now, O light of life,
Fill me with joy anew;
For I would feign remember Thee,
And praise and thank Thee too.

Gathered around Thy table here,
To take the bread and wine;
Recalling that great sacrifice,
That brought the gift divine.

We eat the bread and drink the wine,
Repentant in our heart,
We rest within your perfect peace,
A new beginning start.

And when at last we turn aside,
Redeemed, restored, refreshed,
May we remember, evermore,
This sacred moment blessed.
© Colin Gordon-Farleigh, 2006

Joanne Lowe's Meditations

JESUS LOVES US

“The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.”

Jeremiah 31:3 (King James Version)

Jesus loves us. Let me say it again, Jesus loves us. Has it penetrated your heart yet? Jesus loves you! We know that He loves us and we say that He loves us but I don’t think it has gone from head knowledge into our hearts.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords loves you! Not only does He love you, He loves you unconditionally. There is nothing you could do that would make Him stop loving you.

Having the assurance in our hearts that the Saviour of the world loves us unconditionally and will always love us should fill our hearts to overflowing with happiness and excitement. What a privilege is ours to be loved by the Master Himself!

We know that He loves us. He proved His love for us when He allowed them to crucify Him on the old rugged cross. It was a cruel cross of horror. Our compassionate Saviour endured an excruciating pain that you and I will never experience.

We should fall on our knees in our hearts and weep for the pain that He suffered for us. He, who had never sinned, took our sins on His own body and paid the price that we could never have paid. What a dear and precious Saviour we have!

What are you doing to prove to Jesus that you love Him? Do you love Him enough to shut off the television and call someone who is hurting? I urge all of us to hug someone for Jesus today!

Joanne Lowe

joannelowe8@cox.net

www.joanne-ourprecioussaviour.blogspot.com

Glorious Autumn!

I love this time of the year! I love the colours of hedgerow and woodland especially, with the array of rich golds, reds and chocolate browns. Here's a few pictures to inspire you for today, and hopefully let you marvel at the beauty of God's creation.

More New Hymns for Today

As I'm going to be away on holiday for the next week here are three extra hymns to add to your collection. I hope you'll enjoy singing them as you worship and praise Almighty God. If you use any of them in your church service, (and I hope you do!), then don't forget to report their use to CCLI as usual.

Don't forget that you can find more hymns, both in Welsh and in English, on the Sheer Joy Music website. You can also sample to some of my secular songs there as well. Why not pay a visit today?

Oh, the Wonder! 87 87

Tune: BLAENWERN

Saviour, now I hear you calling
Me to serve You here below;
Blessed Jesus, I will follow,
Where You lead me I will go.
Oh, the wonder! Oh, the rapture!
Precious Saviour, I am free!
Oh, the wonder! Oh, the rapture!
Purest joy of serving Thee.

In my waking and my sleeping,
At the morn or eventide,
Holy Spirit in this temple,
As my Comforter and Guide.
Oh, the wonder! Oh, the rapture! . . .

Knowing You are always near me,
Walking always by my side,
Ever safely watching o’er me,
Blessed Saviour, friend and guide.
Oh, the wonder! Oh, the rapture! . . .

I acknowledge You as Saviour,
Who hung there upon the tree,
Worship You, my blest Redeemer,
Son of God who died for me.
Oh, the wonder! Oh, the rapture! . . .
© Colin Gordon-Farleigh, 2006

Bread and Wine LM
Tune: Old 100th
Redeemed by Him, and then restored,
Keeping the death of Christ the Lord.
In memory we share this food,
The bread His flesh, the wine His blood.

Take, eat, and now remember Him,
His body broken in our stead,
In full forgiveness, till He come,
Share in the breaking of the bread.

Then as we take the cup of wine —
His life-blood shed to set us free —
Deeply we drink from draught of pain,
His blood was shed for you and me.

Our sweet communion, Three-in-One,
By mercy, through His grace, we meet
To share in this memorial feast,
Then praise and worship at His feet.
© Colin Gordon-Farleigh, 2006

Glorious Love 10.10.10.10.
TUNE: Woodlands (Alt. TUNE: Ellers)
O glorious Love, that dared to love mankind,
Came down to earth to seek the lame and blind;
Then through that love, as great as love could be,
Died on the cross to claim the victory.

Such perfect Love! Yet purchased at a cost,
You came to seek and find, to save the lost;
To pay the awful price of sin and shame,
And having paid, return from whence You came.

O glorious Love! Yet You will love us still,
Now draw us close to You, Your love fulfil.
Then when, in glory, You return again,
We will, in rapture, loud proclaim Your Name!

Such perfect love! Whose name all men will praise,
Will glorify until the end of days;
Who, coming down to earth, did mankind save,
The sacrificial Lamb who beat the grave.

O glorious Love! Until You come again,
Lord, free us from a life of toil and pain;
Help us to live according to Your will,
Then, drawing our last breath, to praise You still!
© Colin Gordon-Farleigh, 2006

New Hymn for Today

Vesper 65 65 D

Tune: Take time to be holy

.
Lord keep me from stumbling,
Catch me when I fall,
I’ve need of no other,
For You are my all.
When my day has ended,
Strife and toil are done,
I’ll rest in Your arms Lord,
My battle you’ve won.

When life’s task is over
Let my striving cease;
Let me rest forever
In eternal peace.
When I am in heaven,
With You face to face,
I’ll worship forever,
Praise You for Your grace.
© Colin Gordon-Farleigh, 2006

Off on holiday to Criccieth tomorrow!

I shall be away from this Blog for the next week as we are off to Criccieth which is situated on Cardigan Bay in glorious West Wales tomorrow morning. That means, for those of you who are collecting the hymns which are posted each day, that there will be no new hymns for a week after tomorrow morning's post.

As usual, after my return in just over a week's time, I'll post a few photographs on this Blog, and that way I can share my holiday a little with you, dear reader.

New Hymn for Today

Fire of the Spirit 76 76 D

Tune: Crüger

.
Lord Jesus, I am ready
To serve You here below,
The Holy Spirit’s embers,
Aflame with heaven’s glow.
So guide me, Lord, to follow,
Where ’ere Your feet have trod;
Then In Your name I’ll worship
And serve the one true God.

Wherever You may need me,
I’ll wait upon Your will;
Until I hear You calling,
Lord, I am waiting still.
Lord, use my hands to touch with,
My voice as comfort’s rod,
Then in Your name I’ll worship,
And serve the one true God.

Lord, keep those embers burning
Throughout each day and night,
O, let the Holy Spirit,
Be ever burning bright.
Keep me forever serving,
And living by God’s Word,
Then in Your name I’ll worship,
The one eternal Lord.
© Colin Gordon-Farleigh, 2006

Vote for Jackie Evancho to win America's got Talent!

Congratulations to Jackie Evancho for making the finals of America's Got Talent!

But seriously folks, was there any doubt? Next week, the field gets narrowed down to four. Please watch and vote! Let's be careful that viewers don't assume Jackie doesn't need the votes!

Best of luck, Jackie!

If you haven't been fortunate enough to hear her sing, just take a look at the following clip from YouTube

Troglodyte Living in Andalucia

The above picture is of one of several Cave-Shops in Purullena selling a huge range of pottery items at great low prices, and 'Yes', we were tempted into buying a couple of items to bring home with us and remind us of a fabulous holiday!

Here's a bit more about our recent very enjoyable holiday in a cave-house in Bacor, Andalucia, the above picture being of the Cave Houses on the outskirts of the Cathedral town of Guadix, where we spent an enjoyable time looking around the town and the Cathedral.

We also visited the small village/town of Purullena, which was only a relatively short distance from Bacor. Whilst there we went to the Cave-House Museum which was well worthwhile. Here we learned about the manner in which these homes are fashioned out of the mountains. Here are the facts as presented by the Museum:

• The temperature inside the cave varies between 17 and 21Celsius throughout the year, meaning that it feels cool in summer and warm in winter. This makes it very comfortable to live in a cave.
• The Purullena caves date from Arabic origin. Thirty years ago everybody in the town lived in caves, and even in 2010 there are still about 40% of the population who choose to live in a cave-house rather than a more conventional home. This is why Purullena is known as the Troglodyte City.
• The cave-houses are dug out of the mountains. No construction materials are used, and they are painted inside with white chalk, a natural paint which is porous and allows the air to circulate, preventing humidity in the cave.
• Rather than doors in the cave, curtains separate the rooms in order to allow a free passage of air to circulate. There are also chimneys which increase the air circulation.
• The ceilings are dome-shaped to avoid the risk of collapse, and also to distribute the weight towards the thick outer walls. The walls have to be very thick in order to support the massive pressure of the hillside.
• The material from which the caves are made is arcilla, which is a special clay. It is a very compact yet soft soil, making it very easy to dig. It's also an impermeable soil which stops the rain from entering the cave.

I'm currently reading . . . 'Content With What I Have'

Amongst the books that I'm currently reading is this great book by C Henry Warren, a true countryman, well-known for his autobiographical work A Boy in Kent.

Content With What I Have, published by Geoffrey Bles Ltd in 1967, is illustrated by Susannah Holden and has a foreword by Richard Church. In his foreword Church writes of Henry Warren's work that it 'occupies a place in English letters somewhere between the writings of the naturalists such as Gilbert White, W.H.Hudson, Richard Jefferies and those of local and rural historians who put on record the ways and techniques of the disappearing country craftsmen.'

As someone born in a small country town, growing up with the fields, woods and hedgerows as my playground, I developed from an early age a great passion for all things to do with the countryside. Hence, over the years, and particularly during my sojourn in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, much of my leisure reading has been by authors sympathetic to the British countryside and the way of life of country folk. Authors such as Fred Archer, A G Street, Richard Jefferies and many others of similar ilk, abound on my bookshelves, and C Henry Warren sits comfortably amongst them.

In Content With What I Have, Warren has moved from his boyhood domicile of Kent to the Essex countryside, an area which he adopted with the passion with which he embraces his country heritage. Written in a nostalgic and contented style, Warren never loses his eye for exacting detail, and the result is that you don't just read about the countryside of which he writes, he lets you share it for a while with him.

A highly recommended book if you can manage to find a copy. You should be lucky on Amazon and some of the other second-hand book sites.

Hymn for today . . .

Let All the Earth L.M
Tune: Melcombe
Let all the earth, in joyful song,
Sing praises to our Lord and King;
Let all the peoples of the world
To Him their gifts and tributes bring.

Sing out with full and joyful heart,
As through His gates you enter in.
Know that our Lord Himself is God,
And praise Him in your thanksgiving.

In gladness, serve Him now with praise,
Sing of His might both near and far;
Fit temples for His holy fire,
For He has made us who we are.

We are His people and His sheep,
According to His holy Word;
So now sing joyfully to Him,
Our Shepherd of the fold, our Lord.

Now we in joyful songs of praise,
With full thanksgiving in our heart,
Will worship Him, the Three-in-One,
And seek the way to play our part.

Let all the earth, in joyous song,
In gladness, serve Him now with praise;
Sing out with full and joyful heart:
And walk for ever in His ways.
© Colin Gordon-Farleigh, 2006

Latest issue of The Voice Christian News & Views

The latest edition of The Voice Christian News & Views is now available. Inside you will find a wealth of interesting reports and features of interest, including the latest instalment of J P Yohannan's book Revolution in World Missions, and articles by leading Christian writers such as Andrew Strom, Howard Morgan, J Lee Grady and D Ben Rees.

There is a great feature on Bristol Cathedral and the concluding instalments of 'A Slow Train Coming' by David Silver. All this and much more, the magazine is packed with items to interest every Christian and also encourage the non-Christian to look at their life.

The great news is that it's absolutely FREE of charge! All you have to do to receive it every two months through your letter-box is register on-line by following this link. Simple as that! Why not do it today, no matter where you live in the world.

Footprints / Footsteps

Perhaps one of the most famous of all Christian verse, Footprints, (often referred to as Footsteps), is a firm favourite with millions of people the world over. Written by Mary Stevenson in 1936, the poem has been a comfort and an inspiration to countless people since it was first published.

All too often Footprints has been published with the words Author Unknown or Anonymous under it, and it seemed that little was known of its author or origin. Now you can learn about Mary Stevenson and her inspirational work by visiting the website dedicated to 'Footprints in the Sand'.

CHRIST IS ALL IN ALL

Read: Colossians 3: 1-11

Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Colossians 3:11

.
Jesus Christ is all and is in all to every person who has truly found Him. He is our Saviour, Redeemer, Deliverer, Shepherd, Teacher, and also the one who sustains us and enables us to do all that we are called to do for the benefit of His kingdom.

Christ is announced as our Saviour in Luke’s Gospel, Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)

Jesus Christ is our Saviour, and we meet Him at Calvary, looking on Him as the bleeding Lamb of God first of all. It’s only when we have done this that we can understand all that He has done for us; the depth of His suffering and the intensity of His love. Only after this first meeting can we come to know Him as our Redeemer, our Deliverer and our Shepherd.

I know Jesus as my Saviour, without whom I would be dead in my sins, but I have no knowledge as to who else can make the same claim because I don’t know what is in your hearts. However, one thing that I do know is that Jesus loves each and every one of you and is offered to you all today as your Saviour. The Bible tells us that; He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all (Romans 8:32). God gave Jesus up freely so that we all might be saved through Him. The fact is that we all have a Saviour, although there will be those who choose to reject what He offers, even though their rejection condemns them to the fires of hell and eternal damnation. God’s love is not limited by man’s understanding of it, and I am convinced that Christ died for every person who seeks Him and accepts him, claiming Salvation through Him. Accept Christ and He will accept you; reject Him and He will reject you. God gives for us to receive. It is important then, to firstly know Jesus as our Saviour.

Christ not only saves us but He also redeems us. In other words He ransoms us from the power of sin, and buys us back. Having first saved us from spiritual death, He then watches over us for ever and ensures that death can never touch us. We are slaves to sin, but Christ sets us free and grants us our liberty when He redeems us from the slavery of sin. God says … I, the Lord, am your Saviour, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob (Isaiah 49:26). The Psalmist says, “For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death …” (Psalm 116:8). The Psalmist David tells of the power of God to rescue and deliver: He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand (Psalm 40:2).

God demands that the payment for sin is death, and our only hope therefore of returning from darkness into the light is in finding a means of paying our ransom price. We have such a ransom, and that is Christ Jesus. He will deliver us. Christ is our Redeemer and Deliverer, mighty to save and able to deliver.

Having received the gift of Salvation through Christ we need to know that we can move forward and grow in our faith and trust, and it is here that we see our Shepherd in Jesus Christ. He is the great Shepherd who tells us that “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (John 14:6). He calls us to follow Him and He will lead us along the right pathway through life if only we look to him, keeping our eyes firmly fixed upon Him.

During the exodus from Egypt, the children of Israel followed a cloud. When the cloud rested then so did they, when it moved forward then so did they. The cloud was their Shepherd, just as Christ is our Shepherd if we choose to follow Him. Often our journey through this world can be perplexing because we can easily lose direction, yet Christ will always lead us along the right path because this world was created through Him (John 1:2). Just as God led the Israelites to safety so He can lead us to safety, because He never changes; we have His word that I the Lord, change not (Malachi 3:6).

We speak of the darkness of sin, and the only thing that can overcome darkness is light. Take a tiny candle into a room that is pitch black and you will see the darkness recede where the light falls.

Not only is Jesus Christ our Saviour, Redeemer and Deliverer, but He is more than that, for He is also our light. He has said “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12).

It’s the privilege of every one of Christ’s followers to walk in the light of His glory! Yet is that what happens in reality? Is it not true that many Christians often find themselves in the darkness created by the world? Why is that? Is it because we are not following Christ as closely as we should be, and therefore often moving on the edge of darkness rather than in the fullness of His light? We need to let Christ in to every corner of our being, and every aspect of our lives. When you give over your life entirely to Christ as He calls you to then you will have plenty of light; so much so, in fact, that He will set us on fire with His light, and it’s then that the world will see us shining out as beacons in the darkness.

When we truly have Christ in us, in control of our thoughts, our hearts and our actions, then His light will shine out so brightly from us that others will know that we belong to Christ without the need for us to tell them. But remember that the world hates the light. That’s why the world sought to extinguish it at Calvary.

The light within us is borrowed light, for when we live as Christ directs then we reflect His light, just as the moon shines with about 12% of the reflected light of the sun. when Moses had been on Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments from God his face shone with a small proportion of the reflected light of God’s glory. Christ’s light will shine in us when we are strong and resolute in our faith.

To be successful soldiers for Christ we must live as children of the light and not as children of darkness. If we cannot demonstrate to the world the joy that we have when we walk with Christ then how can they desire to be like us? We must be determined to keep the light shining brightly in us no matter what situation we find ourselves in. our task is to shine out for Christ, and one day He will lead us to a kingdom where there is no darkness to be found.

We’ve considered Christ as our Saviour, our Redeemer, our Deliverer and our Light, but He’s also our teacher. God has provided a teacher from heaven for us! In the Bible we read, If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him (James 1:5). Jesus bids us to take our cares and concerns to Him and He will give us peace (Matthew 11:28). He tells us, Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me. Whatever we need to know then Jesus can direct us to the right answer.

Are you ready to hand over your life entirely to Christ, right now tonight? Will you hand Him your burdens, laying them at the foot of the cross and leaving them there? Too many people hand over their burdens one minute and then take them back the next, keeping them so close as if they are afraid to let them go for good. Too many people give their lives to Christ one minute and then borrow the back the next.

Tonight is a time for decisions to be made. Tomorrow may be too late. Will you not repent of all the things that are unworthy in your life and commit your life to Christ tonight? Even if you have committed your life before and then become a backslider, it’s not too late to recommit to Him tonight.

This land of ours is in spiritual turmoil; so many people searching for the truth and yet so few prepared to share it with them. Many of our churches are closed because the concerns of those who run them are no different to the world’s concerns. Money and the accumulation of wealth have produced a ’Prosperity Gospel’ rather than the true Gospel. In a land where the poor are infinitely richer in material wealth than many of those existing in Third World nations, so often the Gospel that rule is a Social Gospel. Neither of these gospels can satisfy your true spiritual longing, for only Christ’s Gospel that leads to Salvation and Redemption can do that.

The decision to commit to Christ for ever is not one to mull over, to dwell on or to deliberate about. It’s a decision that you need to take NOW - HERE - TODAY. Don’t put it off for one minute longer.
Amen

In Praise of Him: 3 books available

Eleven collections of my verse have been published over the years, the first, 'Memories', appearing way back in 1964. For some years now the bulk of my verse has fallen into the category of 'Praise work', and these three collections are the result of it.

All available from Voice Publications, the proceeds from their sale go towards the upkeep of Voice Ministries. Why not visit the website today and order a copy of one or more of them. I'm sure that they will be a blessing to you.

The Presence of Angels

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I stand in the presence of angels,

To gaze at the foot of the cross:

My tears fall like dew in the evening

To know that my gain was Your loss.

I kneel down before You, a sinner,

As wretched and poor as I am:

Then stand, in blessed forgiveness,

Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

How can I ever repay such love,

That for freedom has set me free?

Save only to look on Your face,

And give what I have, which is me.

Use me to serve You forever,

In the presence of angels still:

Take me and teach me Your pathways,

To walk evermore in Your Will.

© 2006 : Colin Gordon-Farleigh

Have You?

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Sometimes it makes me wonder

about the people whom I meet;

those I find in a quiet church,

or on a busy street;

hurrying and scurrying,

being kind and doing good,

the way that well we know,

God has ordained we should.

Yet, sometimes, we meet someone

with a special word to say,

And when they do we wonder,

did an angel come our way?

We see no angelic wings,

and hear no heavenly choir;

yet something in the way they look,

— familiar, not odd —

Leaves us with a sense

Of having briefly met with God.

© 2006 : Colin Gordon-Farleigh

Long, Long Ago

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It was long ago on that starlit night,

Over the stable shone a star so bright;

Cattle in the stable began to low,

For Christ was born there, long, long ago.

There in a manger filled with sweet, soft hay,

Little baby Jesus was born that day;

Mary and Joseph looked on Him with love,

The heavenly host sang in the skies above.

Shepherds in the fields did their vigil keep,

Looked up to the sky as they watched their sheep;

Then suddenly a light shone all around,

And the frightened shepherds fell on the ground.

Looking around they saw an angel there,

He spoke to them and told them not to fear;

He said, “I bring news of the greatest joy,

Good news of the birth of a baby boy.”

Suddenly appeared on that day of days

The heavenly choir singing out God’s praise;

Singing ‘Glory to God and peace amongst men,’

Over, and over, and over again!

The shepherds up and to the stable went,

Following the sign that was heaven sent;

Giving praise to God for the Child they found,

Kneeling in that stable on hallowed ground.

Now we can share in that glorious sight

That the shepherds found on that holy night;

Praise God for the child who in manger lay,

Praise and glorify each and every day.

© 2006 : Colin Gordon-Farleigh

Hymn for today . . .

Jesus, My Saviour 10.9 10.9
TUNE: BUNESSAN

Jesus my Saviour, Son of the Father,
Sins are forgiven, mercy divine;
With true repentance comes God’s forgiveness,
I claim salvation, Jesus is mine.

Jesus descended down from God’s heaven,
He is God’s answer to mankind’s sin;
Death was sin’s payment, once and for ever,
Our Saviour died that we might go in.

Now we must worship, serving the Kingdom,
Witness of His love to all mankind;
Now and for ever, until we see Him,
Burdened by all the lost and the blind.

We can rejoice now, our rich salvation,
Granted to us through Jesus above;
He is our Saviour, Son of the Father,
Gift of redemption, blessed by His love.

Send all your praises winging to heaven,
‘Waiting the day when you see His face;
Angels surround Him, praising His glory,
Promised Messiah, sent by God’s grace.
© Colin Gordon-Farleigh, 2006